Abstract
The purpose of this research is to get an idea of the psychological welfare of street children who live in shelters, psychological characteristics of these children and parenting skills mapping foster parents in a shelter. This research use both quantitative and qualitative research with samples of 40 street children residing in ‘LIPONSOS UPTD Kampung Anak Negeri’ and ‘Rumah Pintar Matahari’, and three caregivers in two places. Data gathering tools using the Child Life Satisfaction Scale is an adaptation of the Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale developed by Scott Huebner (2001) and a structured interview guide. Data analysis techniques in this study is the Pearson correlation technique and content analysis. Results of analysis of data on the variables mental life Satisfaction of children show that there were 10 children with very low (25%)mental life satisfaction, in the low category 2 (5%), the medium category 16 (40%), and high categories of 12 childrens (30%) and none at all were included in the very high category. A general description of the psychological characteristics of childrens who are in shelters, as follows: general conditions for children are still carried away with the previous environment, speech is still rough, still often quarrel; childrens are still difficult to set, lack of discipline, disrespectful; rebellious / disobedient; likes telling personal problems; still likes violation of the rules established foundations / shelters; have a tendency to get revenge if corporal punishment and have a tendency to be perpetrators and victims of bullying / violence. Meanwhile parenting skills mapping in shelters include: patient and gentle in dealing with the child; the face of the child is not with anger; distantly
related to children; must patiently faced children from various backgrounds; talk to children in a good way; children need the attention of caregivers; responsible for children's issues to convey; monitoring children and approached the children so he would open; role as fathers, listen to them and provide solutions to probl ems that children naturally; try to be on time, take care of nature, set the time, give adequate attention to children; communication and ensure the children in good condition; accommodate a story about the problems children with friends and homesick; advise children who are still lazy; impose appropriate penalties for the error, but not corporal punishment; maintain transparency and create a comfortable condition and safe for children, they should treat the family; accepting input from children; provide guidance to children who resist; treat children in accordance with their individual characteristics; reward for positive behavior.